his faith. While he was yet talking Lisa entered
the tent, under the pretext of coming to borrow a
towing line. High words instantly ensued between
him and Dorion, which ended by the half-breed’s
dealing him a blow. A quarrel in the “Indian
country”, however, is not to be settled with
fisticuffs. Lisa immediately rushed to his boat
for a weapon. Dorion snatched up a pair of pistols
belonging to Mr. Hunt, and placed himself in battle
array. The noise had roused the camp, and every
one pressed to know the cause. Lisa now reappeared
upon the field with a knife stuck in his girdle.
Mr. Breckenridge, who had tried in vain to mollify
his ire, accompanied him to the scene of action.
Pierre Dorion’s pistols gave him the advantage,
and he maintained a most warlike attitude. In
the meantime, Crooks and M’Lellan had learnt
the cause of the affray, and were each eager to take
the quarrel into their own hands. A scene of
uproar and hubbub ensued that defies description.
M’Lellan would have brought his rifle into play
and settled all old and new grudges by a pull of the
trigger, had he not been restrained by Mr. Hunt.
That gentleman acted as moderator, endeavoring to
prevent a general melee; in the midst of the brawl,
however, an expression was made use of by Lisa derogatory
to his own honor. In an instant the tranquil spirit
of Mr. Hunt was in a flame. He now became as
eager for the fight as any one on the ground, and
challenged Lisa to settle the dispute on the spot with
pistols. Lisa repaired to his boat to arm himself
for the deadly feud. He was followed by Messrs.
Bradbury and Breckenridge, who, novices in Indian
life and the “chivalry” of the frontier,
had no relish for scenes of blood and brawl.
By their earnest mediation the quarrel was brought
to a close without bloodshed; but the two leaders of
the rival camps separated in anger, and all personal
intercourse ceased between them.

CHAPTER XX.

Features of the Wilderness—­Herds
of Buffalo.—­Antelopes—­ Their
Varieties and Habits.—­John Day.—­His
Hunting Strategy—­Interview with Three
Arickaras—­Negotiations Between the
Rival Parties—­The Left-Handed and the Big
Man, two Arickara Chiefs.—­Arickara
Village—­Its Inhabitants—­ Ceremonials
on Landing—­A Council Lodge.—­Grand
Conference—­ Speech of Lisa.—­Negotiation
for Horses.—­Shrewd Suggestion of Gray
Eyes, an Arickara Chief—­Encampment of the
Trading Parties.

The rival parties now coasted along the opposite sides
of the river, within sight of each other; the barges
of Mr. Hunt always keeping some distance in the advance,
lest Lisa should push on and get first to the Arickara
village. The scenery and objects, as they proceeded,
gave evidence that they were advancing deeper and
deeper into the domains of savage nature. Boundless
wastes kept extending to the eye, more and more animated
by herds of buffalo. Sometimes these unwieldy
animals were seen moving in long procession across
the silent landscape; at other times they were scattered
about, singly or in groups, on the broad, enameled
prairies and green acclivities, some cropping the rich
pasturage, others reclining amidst the flowery herbage;
the whole scene realizing in a manner the old Scriptural
descriptions of the vast pastoral countries of the
Orient, with “cattle upon a thousand hills.”